In July, Xiaomi Africa unveiled an online photography campaign inviting fans to showcase their skills using Xiaomi mobile phones with a three-day trip to Maasai Mara up for grabs.

More than 1,000 people shared their photos via the hashtag #SafariWithXiaomi and Xiaomi took the winners for a memorable Mara experience flanked by professional photographers.

Winners Patrick Philemon Kulinganila (Tanzania), John Oluwamokamiyo (Nigeria), Samson Osas (Nigeria), Victor Onokaye (Nigeria), Emmanuel Kenechukwu (Nigeria) and Yonis Mohammed (Kenya) were accompanied by professional photographers Alamin Mutunga, Nimrod Zollo and Kenneth Obina.

The intention of the competition was to celebrate the evolution of Xiaomi phone cameras allowing users to document their most memorable moments with remarkable precision.

Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G, which the photographers took to the Mara boasts of 200MP and 4K video capabilities and ushers in a new chapter in mobile photography in mid-level phones.

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It has an exceptionally high resolution backed by other features including Pro Mode, 8MP ultrawide, 2 MP macro, preinstalled filters, alongside an exceptional photo editing software.

At Maasai Mara, the winners experienced the iconic African wilderness replete with wildlife, spectacular landscapes, and the deep-rooted culture and captured these on Xiaomi phones.

“Some of the highlights that stood out for me with the Xiaomi trip to Maasai Mara was meeting new people and seeing non-professional photographers learn and actually improve their phone photography in such a short time. This was my first time in the Mara, and I had an amazing time shooting wildlife with the Xiaomi devices,” said Mutunga.

The Xiaomi devices he used include the Redmi Note 11 Pro and the Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus 5G and he lauded them for their superior photography power into the hands of every user.

“For me, the Xiaomi trip to Kenya had many firsts, like first time on a flight, first time in Kenya and certainly first time in Maasai Mara which has always been a dream of his. I am elated about the great reception by the Xiaomi team and the larger team that he travelled to the Mara with,” said Tanzania’s Kulinganila, a travel, lifestyle, and urban photographer.

He uses Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G and lauded its great features, including its 200MP camera, portrait and wide-angle functions but calls for improvement on its night mode and zoom.

Nigeria based tech enthusiast, Youtuber and professional photographer Kenneth Obina alias Khali Jones enjoys visual storytelling, documentaries and lifestyle and loves Xiaomi gadgets.

“The Xiaomi team and the travel group as a whole was very warm and welcoming throughout the planning and execution. I am speechless about the Maasai Mara, this is the best experience I have had since I was born,” said Obina.

His everyday device is the Redmi 12 which he uses to shoot tech reviews on his Youtube channel and has interacted with varied Xiaomi mobile phones for professional photography.

Having used Xiaomi devices for years, he says he has the unique position to conclude the innovation they have embraced make Xiaomi live up to its slogan ‘innovation for everyone’.

Even as he treated the winners to a masterclass on enhancing their mobile photography and editing skills, he urged Xiaomi to improve its cameras to compete with professional ones.

Xiaomi says the Safari with Xiaomi provided a great chance to stage innovations in mobile photography in line with its brand mission to ‘make friends with users and be the coolest company in the users' hearts’.

The campaign offered fans a chance to deepen their experience with Xiaomi phones and learn more about photography to improve their skills, whether professionals or amateurs.